Ephemeral Compute for Payment Card Processing Without Persistent Servers

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing payment card processing systems face significant burdens in complying with PCI DSS standards due to the need for maintaining and securing virtual machines and containers for sensitive data transmission, which increases operational complexity and resource requirements.

Innovation Solution

Implementing ephemeral compute services in a private virtual cloud environment to handle payment card data transmission, where workloads are executed on-demand and then shut down, reducing the need for persistent virtual servers and minimizing data storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If persistent virtual servers are used to handle payment card data transmission, then continuous availability is ensured, but operational complexity and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous availabilityVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static persistent virtual servers to dynamic ephemeral compute instances that are created on-demand and automatically terminated after use. This dynamic approach maintains reliability through automatic recreation of compute instances while significantly reducing operational complexity by eliminating the need for manual server maintenance and resource allocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs ephemeral compute instances that are discarded after completing their specific payment processing tasks, replacing the need for persistent virtual servers. These short-living instances are automatically provisioned and terminated, reducing operational complexity while maintaining service availability through automatic recreation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Reliability

If persistent virtual servers are maintained for PCI DSS compliance, then security standards are met, but resource requirements and operational burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovePCI DSS complianceVSAvoidresource requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses ephemeral compute instances that are automatically terminated after payment processing, eliminating the need to maintain persistent virtual servers for PCI DSS compliance. This reduces resource requirements while maintaining compliance through the ephemeral nature of the compute instances that do not persist beyond their operational lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the payment processing function from persistent virtual servers and implements it through ephemeral compute instances. This separation removes the burden of maintaining infrastructure resources while preserving the security and compliance requirements through the ephemeral compute architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Duration of action of stationary object

If virtual machines are maintained for data transmission, then service continuity is ensured, but security maintenance burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoidsecurity maintenance burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces static persistent virtual machines with dynamic ephemeral compute instances that are automatically recreated as needed. This dynamic approach ensures service continuity through automatic instance recreation while reducing security maintenance burden by eliminating manual patching, updating, and monitoring of persistent infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The ephemeral compute architecture implements self-service through automatic provisioning and termination of compute instances. The system automatically creates new instances for payment processing and eliminates the need for manual security maintenance, reducing operational burden while maintaining service continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250217791A1System and method for ephemeral compute with payment card processing

Publication Date: 2025.07.03 AVEN HLDG INC

AI summary

Technology is described for payment card processing using ephemeral compute. An example system comprises a client application, an ephemeral compute instance, and a payment service. The client application is configured to send a request for transmitting sensitive information associated with a payment card to the ephemeral compute instance. The ephemeral compute instance is triggered to transmit the sensitive information to the payment service in response to receiving the request and is configured to shut down after the transmission of the sensitive information to the payment service. The payment service is configured to authorize a transaction based on the received sensitive information transmitted by the ephemeral compute instance.